The White House said US President Donald Trump is returning to North Carolina on October 20. The administration’s statement cited lower crime, tax relief for workers and seniors, and rising investment in manufacturing.
According to the White House, all four major crime categories in North Carolina fell in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Murders declined 12.4%, robberies 18% and motor vehicle thefts 23%. In 2025, homicides fell 18%, motor vehicle thefts 21%, robberies 20% and aggravated assaults 14%.
In Charlotte, overall crime fell 9% in 2025 and violent crime declined 21%. In the first half of 2026, the figures fell a further 16% and 8%, respectively, while property crime dropped 17%. Raleigh saw declines in violent and property crime in the second quarter of this year, including a 33% fall in homicides. Overall crime in Wilmington fell 16% in 2025.
The statement also reported the arrests of five people convicted of crimes. Three were arrested in Raleigh, one in Laurinburg, one in Charlotte and another in the Wilmington area. The White House identified their countries of origin and convictions.
The administration said about 1.9 million North Carolina seniors will benefit from a new tax deduction. The average tax refund in the state was $3,542. The Rural Health Transformation Program received $213 million in first-year funding, intended to improve care for more than three million rural residents and support more than 400 rural health facilities. The state could receive nearly $1 billion over the next five years.
The White House listed investment plans by a number of companies. Amazon plans to invest $10 billion in cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Richmond County, creating at least 500 jobs. JetZero is investing $4.7 billion in a commercial aircraft factory in Greensboro, with about 14,560 jobs projected. Johnson & Johnson, Genentech, Biogen, AbbVie, Prysmian, Vaxcyte, Merck, US Forged Rings, Novartis, STERIS and Coinbase also announced investments or expansion plans.
The statement said tariffs had been imposed on imported wood products to protect the state’s furniture industry. Fort Bragg was restored to its former name in 2025. North Carolina received more than $7.5 billion in federal disaster recovery funding after Hurricane Helene, with an additional $858 million recently announced. The White House also said the Lumbee Tribe had received full federal recognition and ended its statement with a political appeal.
